Reimagining of the Episcopal Church (Yes, it’s a Convention year)

Happy New Year, Dear Friends!

I sincerely hope that you all are having a blessed Christmas celebration (yes, it’s only the 9th Day of Christmas!!). I am still in Atlanta visiting my wonderful family as I write this blog so I find myself a bit distracted with the hustle and bustle of a busy family with 3 young granddaughters. And, I’m not sure how many of my blog friends are actually going to check us out on the second day of the New Year so we will be repeating some of this in future posts. For those of you who are dedicated Nuts and Bolts readers, here’s the scoop:

As you know, this is a General Convention year. At the 77th General Convention a Task Force for the Reimagining of the Episcopal Church was charged with creating a plan for reforming the Church’s structures, governance, and administration. The resolution which began this process reads:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That this General Convention
believes the Holy Spirit is urging The Episcopal Church to reimagine itself, so
that, grounded in our rich heritage and yet open to our creative future, we may more faithfully:
• Proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
• Teach, baptize and nurture new believers
• Respond to human need by loving service
• Seek to transform unjust structures of society
• Strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth;
and be it further
Resolved, That this General Convention establish a Task Force under the Joint Rules of Order, whose purpose shall be to present the 78th General Convention with a plan for reforming the Church’s structures, governance, and administration; and be it further
Resolved, That this Task Force shall be accountable directly to the General
Convention, and independent of other governing structures, to maintain a high degree of autonomy; and be it further
Resolved, That the Task Force shall have as many as 24 members, appointed jointly by the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies by September 30, 2012. The membership of the Task Force shall reflect the diversity of the Church, and shall include some persons with critical distance from the Church’s institutional leadership; and be it further
Resolved, That, in order to be informed by the wisdom, expertise, and
commitment of the whole body of the Church, the Task Force shall gather
information and ideas from congregations, dioceses and provinces, and other interested individuals and organizations, including those not often heard from; engage other resources to provide information and guidance, and shall invite all these constituencies to be joined in prayer as they engage in this common work of discernment; and be it further
Resolved, That the Task Force shall convene a special gathering to receive
responses to the proposed recommendations to be brought forward to the 78th General Convention, and shall invite to this gathering from each diocese at least a bishop, a lay deputy, a clerical deputy, and one person under the age of 35. It may also include representatives of institutions and communities (e.g., religious orders, seminaries, intentional communities); and be it further
Resolved, That the Task Force shall report to the whole Church frequently, and shall make its final report and recommendations to the Church by November 2014, along with the resolutions necessary to implement them, including proposed amendments to the Constitution and Canons of the Church; and be it further
Resolved, That the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance consider adding $400,000 to the 2013-2015 triennial budget, to enable this Resolution to be implemented energetically and successfully, “…for surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

EXPLANATION
The administrative and governance structures of The Episcopal Church have grown over the years so that they now comprise approximately 47% of the churchwide budget and sometimes hinder rather than further this Church’s engagement in God’s mission. Reform is urgently needed to facilitate this Church’s strategic engagement in mission and allow it to more fully live into its identity as the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society in a world that has changed dramatically over the years but that also presents extraordinary missional opportunity.

Members of the Task force include:
The Rev. Jennifer L. Adams, Diocese of Western Michigan
The Rev. Joseph M.C. Chambers, Diocese of Missouri
Canon Judith G. Conley, Diocese of Arizona
Bishop Michael Bruce Curry, Diocese of North Carolina
Bishop C. Andrew Doyle, Diocese of Texas
The Rev. Marianne S. Ell, Diocese of North Dakota
The Rev. Miguelina Espinal-Howell, Diocese of Newark
Professor Victor A. Feliberty-Ruberte, Diocese of Puerto Rico
The Venerable Robert Anton Franken, Diocese of Missouri
Dr. Catherine George, Diocese of New Jersey
Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves, Diocese of El Camino Real
Julia Ayala Harris, Diocese of Florida
The Rev. Dr. Bradley S. Hauff, Diocese of Pennsylvania
The Rev. Leng Leroy Lim, Diocese of Los Angeles
Thomas A. Little, Esq. Diocese of Vermont
The Rev. Canon Craig W. Loya, Diocese of Kansas
Sarah Miller, Diocese of Alabama
The Rev. Kevin D. Nichols, Diocese of New Hampshire
Bishop Sean W. Rowe, Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania
Margaret B. Shannon, Diocese of Texas
T. Dennis Sullivan, Diocese of New York
Charles Wynder Jr, Diocese of Massachusetts
Jonathan McKenzie York, Diocese of North Carolina
The Rev. Dr. Dwight J. Zscheile, Diocese of Minnesota
In addition, two partners from other Anglican Communion provinces have been appointed: the Very Rev. Peter Elliott of the Anglican Church of Canada, dean of the Diocese of New Westminster and rector of Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver; and the Rev. Sathianathan Clarke, Th.D., of the Church of South India, who is the Bishop Sundo Kim Chair in World Christianity and professor of theology, culture and mission at Wesley Theological Seminary.

Finally, after much work, the final plan was released on December 15, 2014. You can download a copy of the report here – http://reimaginetec.org/TREC_Report.pdf

Let me ask that you try to read at least the first twenty pages of this lengthy report and get your opinions and feedback to our Diocesan deputies as soon as possible. We want to hear from you!! You can send your thoughts to our Deputation Chairperson Sr Elizabeth Anderson at emanderson0310@yahoo.com. Since you will also be attending your annual congregational meetings in January, share this report with your church family. The more input we get, the better we can serve our Household!!

I have one other request: Please pray for your deputies as we prepare for the work we will be doing before we head off to Salt Lake City this summer. We are planning a January meeting to begin our work together and we are eager for your support and encouragement. Together, we can work to strengthen our fulfilling of God’s Mission for the Church!!

Let us pray:
Almighty and everliving God, source of all wisdom and
understanding, be present with those who are preparing
for the work to be done in Salt Lake City this summer.
Grant them wisdom and grace as they seek the renewal
and mission of your Church. Teach all of us in all things to seek
first your honor and glory. Guide us to perceive what is right,
and grant us both the courage to pursue it and the grace to accomplish it; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

~ Judith Schellhammer, chair, Resolution Review Committee, Diocesan Council